— Dogwashn. A project of minimal priority, undertaken as an escape from more serious work. (Jargon File)
— Me? I'm just a lawnmower. You can tell by the way I walk. (Peter Gabriel)

14 November, 2008

Why you pickin' on me?

Syed Ahmed, among other things editor of Indian (ie largely Bangladeshi) restaurant trade mag Curry Life, is getting his knickers in a twist over the new points-based immigration system. Without access to the original Curry Life text, it's a bit difficult to make sense of this Reading Evening Post piece, but clearly Mr Ahmed is agitated about the likely interruption to the steady flow of Bangladeshi cooks and kitchen staff into the UK.

(One thing puzzles me. What happens to the staff displaced by the new immigrants? Do they return to Bangladesh with their accumulated savings, or do they disappear into the "Bangladeshi community" in the UK, in preparation for chain-migrating the rest of their clan hither? Hmm.)

...Mr Ahmed said of the home affairs select committee’s trip to India and Bangladesh – before it set off – “The select committee is the creation of the Home Office, the very institution that is behind the reckless, thuggish raids on Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants in many parts of Britain.

"It’s lily-white hands are steeped in racist mischief".

I wonder why the UKBA might be making these reckless, thuggish raids. Could it be because the Indian restaurant trade, and indeed the ethnic eatery trade in general, is riddled with illegal migrants? The way to put a stop to these reckless, thuggish raids, Mr Syed, is, I suggest, for your readers to stop employing dodgy illegal slave labour. The Reading Evening Post article continues:

“Keith Vaz, the chair of the select committee, has failed to get any response from the Home Secretary to his enquiries about these police raids and the demoralising effects they have on the owners and staff of these restaurants.”

However, he described Mr Vaz as honourable, incorruptible and outspoken and wished him and his committee – of which Martin Salter is a member – well, hoping its report would “allay anxieties of the ethnic minorities”.

Keith Vaz? Are we talking about this Keith Vaz perchance? The Dishonorable Member for Leicester East and All-round Oleaginous Sleazebag of this parish? I cannot trust myself to comment further but, following the lead of one of the commenters to the Reading Evening Post piece, refer the reader to Eyes passim.

About Me

Edwin Greenwood is the nom de souris of a Mancunian early baby-boomer, now living in London, who like so many of his cohort has made the transition from cuddly inclusive soft-left liberal into a grumpy old git who is quite prepared to call a spade a black bastard.
(The previous sentence may cause consternation to the Righteous. If this is you, read this and/or this before exploding with indignation.)